* * * * * Bedhead * * * * *

Bedhead was an indie rock band active in the 1990s (1991-1998). Their first album, WhatFunLifeWas, is often cited on critics’ lists as one of the best indie albums of the 1990s. Bedhead’s music was generally subdued, with a polyphonic sound based on the interlocking of single-line melodies played by three electric guitars and one electric bass guitar (often played with a capo), nearly always using clean (undistorted) tones.

The group’s vocals were often delivered in such a low key manner that they were quite difficult to decipher. This unusual sound was dubbed by some critics as “slo-core,” referring to the slow tempos of many of the band’s songs, a label to which band members objected in interviews.

In reality, many of the group’s songs do not remain slow and quiet throughout, instead beginning very slowly and quietly and gradually building in intensity and volume. Bedhead also experimented with unusual time signatures, with some songs in 6/8 or 3/4 meter.

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If you haven’t got “Bedhead” which I seriously doubt, then by all means go ahead. Probably one of the best slow-core / Down-tempo band I came across after [ Sophia ]. Fans of [ American Chamber Music ] ~ [ Swell ] ~ [ Picastro ] ~ [ Clogs ] ~ [ Grand Savoy ] and the likes should enjoy ” Bedhead ” thoroughly. “

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Dai Watts [ Melancholia ].

[ BIOGRAPHY ]

'Melancholia', the new four track EP from Dai Watts, is now available on digital release, featuring four minimalist pieces written for piano, electronica and orchestra. Dai Watts is a London-based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, whose music has been featured on BBC Radio 3's 'Late Junction' and appeared on film and television around the globe. His previous album 'Liminalondon' - a 'Psychogeographer's Guide to the City' - was released last year and described by Rough Trade Records as 'a richly diverse and intelligently constructed concept album, offering a distinctive and memorable modern twist on what living in London sounds like today'. He is currently writing the music for the film 'Still Wind', to be premiered at the Netherlands International Film Festival in June.

“Melancholia” is the new EP from London-based composer Dai Watts, featuring four minimalist piano-electronica pieces. Watts' previous release “Liminalondon” took us all by surprise, to the point where many of us have been building up a chain of persistent desire and longing to see / hear a follow-up release. Well… fans, readers and followers it is with joy and comfort that I bring Watts' latest EP ironically titled “Melancholia”. You’ll understand the title name the moment you hit play, no doubt about that. And for those who might have the slightest suspicion in their mind as to whether or not this new EP is as good as “Liminalondon” or “Train Tracks and Travelogues Vol. 2” for that matter, please let me be the one to reassure you that you are in for yet… another superb treat.

Without trying to pick from the tracks name to describe the EP, so to say melancholic, obscure pattern, temporal claustrophobia and nostalgia are central pillars of this new release. Watts' previous titles predominantly reflect more of a modern composition / electronic post-rock blend, with guitar, drums and bass composed and played by Watts himself. The new EP however, tends to drift slightly away from the traditional foundation while still executing some electronic resonance, but by cutting loose most of its outer layers i.e electronic beats and other elements such as field recordings or background noises and focusing more on the atmospheric projection, the entire listen reveals a different side of Watts as a music composer.

The one thing I have to admit on “Melancholia” is that in its short twelve minutes duration, this EP brings a perfect conjuration of winter sound, thick quilt, wooden fire / chimney smoke, indoors warm up and hot beverages. Watts' strong combination of various sound elements and atmospheres is limitless and is bound to gradually exude emotions of nostalgia, melancholic or simply epic. Those emotions could be the imaginary soundtrack to a specific phase of one’s life or a dark romantic fantasy hidden at the back of your brain that no one can attain. Either way the four tracks resume to one movement that builds upon reflection of the past or reflection of the future. And at the end of the EP one would wish for it to be longer, which thus leaves you no option but to hit repeat play and to dive in all over again.

Bloggers and reviewers might find themselves charmed out of their inflicted review indulgence with this brand new EP. Every so often we are driven by a strange compulsion to write about something and when faced with something dramatically beautiful and “Melancholia” is indeed one of those special package, even my sister who visited earlier this morning glanced at me and whispers, ‘now that’s something beautiful’ (while “Melancholia” was set in the background) and trust me when I say, she RARELY comment on my music taste, so… stunned by her comment, I asked, you think? And she goes like; yeah the sounds got infinite highlights but in particular the piano is so stunning. I just smiled and said yeah, this is a great EP by a London-based composer named Dai Watts.

Tracklist
1. Delirium 02:58

2. Obscuritas 03:17

3. Temporal Claustrophobia 01:45

4. Tristesse 02:39

Although there’s so much to say about “Melancholia”, I think all one need to know is that the EP is the kind of sound you’ll be obsessed with from the very first listen. For some “Melancholia” can a perfect blend of various emotions and for others this EP can serve as the perfect flow for adjusting seasonal mood shifts. In all scenarios I’d say do not let this one pass you by without giving a solid ear attention. Watts' musical talent can be thorough and expertly done across all his releases. The ambient nature of his music is nothing but captivating and it effortlessly connects the mind and soul together. TOTALLY AWESOME.

UAE Records is a small independent label managed by Christer Lunder and Christian Saint-Viteux. We focus mainly on ambient, drone, electronic and experimental music. Our main goal is to work closely with our artists and together try to fulfill the potential in the music and the artistic work.

First Falling Leaves is an ambient-drone / minimal-noise duo from Belgium, Norway. The project is a joint effort by Christian Sain­t-Viteux aka [ Wolves and Horses ] and Christer Lunder also a member of [ Us As Effigies ] who also run the recording label “UAE RECORDS”. F.F.L short for [ First Falling Leaves ] creates atmospheric ambient and soundscaping tunes with the use of synth sound and field recordings combined with subtle noise and organic textures. The duo is now working on their debut EP which is scheduled for autumn 2015 but has released a single off the upcoming EP title ‘Floating’. Check it out.

THE SINGLE ‘FLOATING’ –

First and foremost allow me to say that I am not going to fly sky high or venture the oceanic crust in the light of describing [ First Falling Leaves ] upcoming release as this will utterly spoil the surprise you about to face. That said, since I am so excited about this new project, I suppose a little head’s up won’t kill anyone here right? So what do we have here… a nine minutes ambient piece, yeah… what’s the big deal, that’s what I thought to, BUT (there’s always a but guys) upon closer listen I soon discovered this new single is not your ordinary ambient sound. It’s a sound you can either refer to as space-ambient or abysmal-ambient, your call, but either way let me point that [ First Falling Leaves ] sound reminds me of the Dolphin. Well, NOT in the literal sense that the track output a piercing sonar pitch but more in terms of its complexity.

“Each and every dolphin has a different sound just like you and me, a sound that other dolphins recognize in an instance. Even a new baby dolphin, (calf), can detect its mother’s whistle within the pod soon after birth. Dolphin Speech is so complex that the sounds even cross the species barriers and enable different kinds of dolphins to communicate. They have been known to instruct each other as well as receive instructions and act accordingly in a manner that is simply intriguing to human mind”. – [Wiki].

In the same sense ‘Floating’ from [ First Falling Leaves ] upcoming album sound extremely clear and intelligible with an immense subtleness yet holding an unbelievable intricacy that communicates with listeners in its own subtle pitch. And like we say… sometime less is more, compact is spacious, tiny but with the bigger the impact, so dear listeners I urge you not to conclude anything based on the minimalistic side of the sound, instead dive as deep as you can on ‘Floating’ and allow every aspect of the music to crawl up your senses. Upon light listening one may think it’s simply a sound with a massive vagueness but let me reiterate that [ F.F.L ] new single is not the case though, as vague and trippy as it may sound, there is a most certainly a destination point and it’s up to listeners to find that terminus while floating in comfort and in warmth with [ F.F.L ]

Tracklist
01 - FLOATING

– Take everything you possibly knows of, space-ambient / abysmal-ambient, all your soundscape encounters and magnify it by 10 and you’ll land a step closer to [ First Falling Leaves ] musical bang.

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Drowse [ Soon Asleep ].

Drowse is the musical pseudonym of Kyle Bates, a Portland, OR based musician who has spent time in various noise rock and metal bands. drowse crafts introverted, cloud covered songscapes inspired by a diverse range of artists such as Duster, Mount Eerie, Slowdive, Weakling, Oneohtrix Point Never and Grouper. drowse released his narcotic debut EP songs to sleep on in December 2013 with a sound celebrating dark music of all forms. songs to sleep on was accompanied by a graphic memoir titled A Little Pink Pill… detailing Bates’ near-suicide and subsequent year of medication.

Soon asleep acts as the next development in drowse’ short life. Placing a greater focus on songwriting, the album translates the woozy effects of prescription drugs into sound. The recordings capture processed guitars and synthesizers swallowing each other, detuned, fading drums, wolves, bottles and kids vying for auditory space and Bates’ voice (amongst others) suspended atop it all, whispering into your ear. The haze is alive and it wants to overtake you.

Soon asleep addresses themes of self-imposed seclusion, absurd rumination and the spaces in between dreams and life. The album is accompanied by a short memoir titled Mnemonic which expands the narrative initiated in A Little Pink Pill…, but does not serve as its conclusion. Bates' textual work exists as another wormhole into the nightmarish yet lucid realm from where drowse's sonic reflections prevail, swarm, and overtake.

There are a number of good things about the latest album “Soon Asleep” by [ Drowse ] that get my adrenaline pumping. To start, I like the fact that the sound / genre the band emphasizes so ironically fits the name of the band. Predominantly tagged as Shoegaze, a specific genre most commonly known for its intense distortion and wall of sound coupled with lethargic vocals that drive listeners to a dreamy state and Drone, a monophonic effect flowing in waves while accompanied by a tone / tune or chord that persistently sounds and echoes throughout an entire piece. This is the way [ Drowse ] approaches music. Somehow this release reminds me of how fun and easy it is for independent artists to release albums through a platforms such as BandCamp, SoundCloud etc and makes it available to the entire world in just few clicks. Needles to say it is artists like [ Drowse ] that truly restore my faith in independent music.

Moving on, although [ Drowse ] (the solo project of Kyle Bates) is probably most intently associated with distinguished noise-walls of fuzzy atmospheres and otherworldly hums, the project’s sound has adopted many varieties over the project’s 2 years of activity, from the mesmerizing raw noise of 2013’s “Songs To Sleep On” to the tuneful harshness of 2015’s “Soon Asleep” Bate’s obscureness relies heavily on a unique, incomprehensible pattern. A rare noise and an obscure darkness are usually assembled upon earthy instrumentation, while hums and understated vocals are present that give a sense of emotional closeness.

What’s really bugging me here is the fact that I have listened to this new album on multiple occasions and it’s a brilliant release but there is still something in its catchy complexity and tense atmosphere that’s yet to be discovered. Every time I give it a thorough listen I come up with a different musical perception. It’s typically the kind of sound that differs drastically from listeners to listener. While one listener may project a certain kind of emotion other listeners are bound to reflect or express something utterly different. To sum it up the core foundation of this new album is Epic, Hypnotic, Searching, Longing, Sugary, Dreamy, Enigmatic, Melancholy, Reflective, Sensual, Spacey, Sprawling, Wistful and needless to say Druggy and Lethargic. Give it a listen or two and what you read here will most certainly make more sense. No doubt about that, so check it out guys. “Soon Asleep” by [ Drowse ] is available on BandCamp for free/ Name Your Price.

Here I would like to thank people and things directly involved in the content of soon asleep, Mnemonic and drowse as a project (if we are or have ever been close thank you for being in my life, you know who you are): Parker Johnson (Italics), Alec van Staveren, Kevin Gwozdz (Desert of Hiatus) and Taylor Malsey (Taylor M.) for helping me bring this music to life—my mother, father and sister—Tuesday Faust for your beautiful voice—Daniel Schultz for being intensely supportive and releasing this—Bella Tsefalas—my journal—Victoria Ayers and Cooper Campbell for the video work—Dani Ransom for turning your lens on me—Rachele Mosley—Kristina Esfandiari, Thom Wasluck, Iphigenia Gras, Nicole Colbath and Lane Oliver for convincing me that this project is worth continuing—Olivia Tsefalas for the perfect photograph—Alana Schachtel—Nate Sonenfeld—Gato Negro—Clonazepam—dreams—Mat Miller for releasing songs to sleep on—Phil Elvrum for casting a shadow—sadness—everybody involved with Oligopolist—anything and everybody I have forgotten. Isn’t memory strange?

Lunae Lumen [ The Words Unsaid ].

Lunae Lumen is an ambient/contemporary classical solo project created by Martha Otero, a 25 year old pianist from Zacatecas, Mexico. She writes emotional and melancholic songs with atmospheres that remind us of artists like Max Richter at times. Her main musical influences involve film scores, contemporary classical and post-rock. Her new EP “The Words Unsaid” was released on march 21. She’s currently working on new projects that involve film scoring, collaborations and the addition of theremin to her music.

Mexican outfit [ Lunae Lumen ] piano skills leaves contemporary-classic / Mod-classical fans breathless with its second effort “The Words Unsaid”. [ Lunae Lumen ] also known as Martha Otero a young and vibrant pianist from Zacatecas, Mexico returns after nearly 4 years with yet another successful attempt in crafting an astounding set of movements with her latest EP. While critics offers brilliant praises on Martha’s releases, let it be “Catch-22” Demo, released while back in September 2011 or the newest EP “The Words Unsaid” for that matter, Martha’s focus is aimed directly at crushingly plaintive piano / viola melodies and subtle/organic textures with an emphasis on delicate sound and fragile tunes that reminds you of a cold winter, being wrapped up with a thick blanket sitting by the fire place in a warm and cozy atmospheres while its -4 degrees outside.

But that’s not the best part though, what’s even greater about “The Words Unsaid” is that the EP, in its quarter an hour mark, tend to take listeners all the way back to classical root. And although I have to admit that “The Words Unsaid” is not typically classical music’s but more of a derivative of classical tunes, bagged with mod-classical / contemporary-classic outfits, the sound in its perfect fluidity make listeners think of the whole concept of classical aliases dated decades and centuries ago. Piano, being the core musical instrument employed predominantly in classical atmospheres for solo acts and ensemble performances, its versatility and ubiquity have made it one of the world's most familiar musical instruments which hold the unique power to dwell between joyful state and melancholy sadness (tristesse).

The Italian musical terms piano and forte indicate "soft" and "loud" respectively in this context referring to the variations in volume produced in response to a pianist's touch on the keys: the greater the velocity of a key press, the greater the force of the hammer hitting the strings, and the louder the sound of the note produced. That in mind, the adaptation of Martha in general is particularly soft in most cases thus driving her listeners more towards a nostalgic ground which causes one to re-live unforgettable moments that’s been filed at the back of the brain and which in many instances are unattainable if it’s not for the sound and the vibrations portrait by the composer.

Tracklist
1. The Words Unsaid 02:19

2. The Places You Will Never See 02:20

3. Abismos de Océanos y Firmamento 02:34

4. Eclipse 04:01 | 5. The Ghosts In Your Heart 03:09

In a nutshell, this new EP is relatively a short play and I don’t know if this is a trend Martha tend to follow considering the previous demo “Catch-22” which ticks around 7 minutes in total duration but if that’s the case then I would say bad approach because the music is undoubtedly brilliant and leaves us, listeners craving for more. The room for exploration is there and Martha could very well adapt this to her advantage. That in mind… bottom line is, whether or not you’ll enjoy this new release depend entirely on your reaction to piano driven music as a whole. If you ask me, personally piano is one of my favourite musical instruments. TSS readers as well as followers can confirm that, whenever I come across a new moniker with piano being the core foundation of the sound, I simply go overboard on the praising side. But that’s not just because I am indeed a major piano fan though. In many cases piano sound always have a tendency to draw me to a point where I found myself waiting for something and even though I am not completely aware of what I am waiting for exactly, I simply feel the need to hang there in the hope of finding that something through the sound and to conclude [ Lunae Lumen ] once again has cornered me to that specific spot. I sincerely hope to hear a full length album from [ Lunae Lumen ] real soon.

The Kiss That Took A Trip [ Electroforest (By Night) ].

Formed in Madrid in 2006, The Kiss That Took A Trip is the brainchild of M.D. Trello, who stands as the sole member and admitted factotum. A long-in-the-works musical project that finally saw the light of day when Trello, after an extended period of hesitation, decided to embrace public exposition inspired by the DIY ethos of diverse musical figures such as Steve Albini, Trent Reznor and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

A late in the game “band”, the founder of The Kiss quotes his admired Brian Eno to state he’s not a musician at all and therefore he will never tour. The Kiss That Took A Trip builds its music, for the most part, using computers and synthetic sounds, but refusing vehemently to be categorized as electronic music. In fact, the music can be tagged as a mix of styles such as post-rock, ambient, experimental, new age and orchestral pop, most of them instrumental and imbued with a progressive feel. The songs resort to melody, atmosphere and a pinch of drone and dissonance instead of technical proficiency or radio-friendly formats.

Since its inception, The Kiss has been regularly putting out self-made releases, with the EP Dating Aphrodite (2008) and thealbums Worst Case Scenarios (2009) and The Dummy Family (2011) among them. However, it was with its third album How TheMighty Have Fallen (2012) that The Kiss found an unique voice. Fully produced by Trello, the album bases its sound on long-winded ambient/jazzy suites and unravels with no sense of urgency but employing signature changes, breakdowns, drone sections, distortion and hummed vocals reminiscent of Bark Psychosis. Letting go of the political themes a little, the album has a bitter existentialist vibe this time.

After a two year long gap, The Kiss That Took A Trip returns with Electroforest (2014) and its little brother Electroforest (By Night) (2015), loosening a lot of tension on the listener and making an album that recaptures much of the essential sense of melody found in earlier works, while still keeping the epic scope and adventurous nature of the previous album, coming out of the other side of the tunnel with a "best of both worlds" effort, but with its own internal logic. The record is built in a subtle triptych structure and features the boldest use of vocals found on a work by The Kiss, even to the point of putting them in the forefront or having them from beginning to end, like in standard pop songs.

In the album, as in past releases, The Kiss leaves a breadcrumb trail of sounds that may lead the listener to The Kiss’ biggest musical influences: Talk Talk, Friends Of Dean Martinez, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Mogwai, Mike Oldfield, His Name Is Alive, Can, Rush, Barry Adamson or Angelo Badalamenti, only that distortion is turned up a notch or two, placing The Kiss That Took A Trip in a not very crowded musical niche in which progressive music and mainstream appeal meet but don’t clash.

Regarding ideology, The Kiss That Took A Trip operates on a “pay only if you wish” policy and stands for free music and Creative Commons licensing. The band has no other aim but to build a consistent and lasting music catalog that can speak to people fed up with quick consumption music and looking for high replay value and a more immersive and personal experience.

The Kiss That Took A Trip releases “Electroforest (By Night)”, a quite straightforward EP ‘as described by the artist’ that works as an appendix to “Electroforest”. It features five outtakes from those recording sessions, although the songs on this release must not be listened to as subpar tunes or a sequel determination / effort, but just as a bunch of songs that didn’t fit in the overall flawlessness of “Electroforest” itself. That in mind the organic structure of those outtakes has a special tendency to drive listeners more and more aloof from their normal state of mind. The playlist on its own is an extremely easy listen, with 4 tracks under the five minutes mark and ‘Us in the torch-wielding mob’ that ticks over eight minutes, the all-inclusive listen manifest the non-technical side of The Kiss That Took A Trip.

Considering the above, let’s get one thing straight about this new release though, “Electroforest (By Night)” is not one of those listen where you have to prepare yourself mentally or emotionally, no need for that. So forget about taking a deep breath before you plunge in, or even raising your expectation in the light to be ecstatically surprised with distortions walls and hyper-mechanical electronic elements. These outtakes, all together, is one of those odd twenty-five minutes EP you simply hit play and tag along with all the instrumentations, lyrics and spoken lyrics at ease. Let it be the balances between the electronic elements and the shoegaze(y) vibrations or the vocals vs the spoken lyrics, “Electroforest (By Night)” is a super easy listen and personally I think this ‘easytodigest’ extracurricular makes the playlist even more interesting.

Quick description… “Electroforest (By Night)” opens with ‘Bad heavens’ a short but effective post-rock study on the flexibility of simple arrangements, while the acoustic sounds and rhythmic approach of ‘Cotton barricade’ make it too cheery for ‘Electroforest’. “Us in the torch-wielding mob” the longest piece on this EP is the obscure mirror image of “Snowstorm”, it evolves epically from electronic ambiance to martial drums and catchy vocals. “Beautiful bruises” is a creepy interlude based on synths and it’s permeated with an analog feel. Last but not least the outro “The last artisan” is a standard unplugged song, equal parts melancholy and serenity.

Tracklist
1. Bad heavens 04:05 buy track

2. Cotton barricade 05:13

3. Us in the torch-wielding mob 08:40

4. Beautiful bruises 03:25 | 5. The last artisan 04:47

In a nutshell The Kiss That Took A Trip make some rather intense melancholic and gloomy pieces, but not all of them are the same though. Sure, it may be easier to attain some level of fulfilment or create a certain depth within a song but the band approach is not always the same, some songs give you the complete satisfaction of a full journey and gets you ready to embarked on another trip while other movements may leave you with a sense of incompleteness, a void that still need to be filled and the eagerness to hear the next piece. That said, whichever angle you look at it, The Kiss That Took A Trip introduces beautiful electro-gaze music’s, one’s that many of us are familiar and comfortable with. And since the sound truly compels you to suit-up with its fantastic equity of electronic and shoegaze blend in a post-rock(ish) kind of way, I’d say it’s crucial you give these outtakes a thorough listen.

RÁDIO ETIÓPIA - [ CRÓNICAS DE UM VELHO SOLITARIO ].

By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen and to Their Late Majesties King George VI, King Edward VII, King William IV, King George V, Queen Victoria, King George IV and to His Late Royal Higness The Prince of Wales ( 1921-1936)

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TONY JUSTERINI and ANATOLY BROOKS are the co-founders of Rádio Etiópia. New episodes are posted every Monday set completed apart from the mainstream line of music.

TOP RELEASES OF 2015 H1

I've been meaning to put up this list for a while but never really had the chance to get around it. I remember posting a top 50 releases for 2011 and top 100 albums for 2012 but somehow missed / skipped 2013 and 2014. That in mind I thought I might as well draw up a list for 2015 but in two half, thus... summing up this post contain TSS top 25 albums as well as 15 honourable mentioned and top 5 remixes for Radio Etiopia, all strictly based ON 2015 01ST HALF. And while we are on the H1 of 2015 subject, I am also pleased to announce that there are indeed some exceptionally good outfits / albums lined-up for H2 of 2015. To mentioned but just a few [ Caspian ], [ K O V L O ], [ MusicForMessier ], [ GIMU ], [ First Falling Leaves ] which is a collaboration result of [ W & H ] and [ U.A.E ], [ 2L8 ], [ madebygrey ] and many other stunning outfits. Trust me guys... if you think H1 of 2015 has been really good then you up for a surprise on 2015 2nd half. So Without further ado...